


Kimono

by holtzmann714



Category: Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-08-08 03:00:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7740769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holtzmann714/pseuds/holtzmann714
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the Ghosbusters encounter the ghost in the subway, Holtzmann mixes a solution to dissolve the slime.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kimono

Holtzmann tries not to think about the equipment crushed by the train--she can build it again: better, stronger this time--as Patty argues with Erin and Abby about where they can sit in the car since they’re covered in slime.

With Patty driving, Holtzmann plays DJ, finding the local 80s station on the radio. Over “Careless Whisper,” she can hear Erin and Abby dissecting what they just saw. Erin laments another outfit lost to the slime.

“How do you get this off? Abby asks.

“Not with water.”

“Why, what happens?”

“It _grows_.” Erin confides.

Holtz clears her throat, throwing an arm over the seat, and cranes around to look at them. “I can fix that.”

“Of course you can, Holtzy.” Patty shoots her a smile across the front seat and something in Holtzmann’s chest blooms. She nods and smiles back, starting to realize she doesn’t just have Abby now, she has all of them.

Back at the lab, Holtz gets to work on mixing a solution as Abby and Erin try to towel off as much excess of slime as they can. Patty collects the dirty towels and offers to go on a food run. “You got this, Holtzy? Ghosts got me starving. What do you want?” But Holtz is absorbed in her potions so Patty lets her be. “Don’t worry, I got you covered, baby. No one goes hungry when Patty is around.”

Abby is sitting on a bench at her lab station, looking miserable in her slime covered clothes as she waits. Erin’s in the bathroom and occasionally they can hear her disgusted cries. “Okay,” Holtz announces, as she swirls the solution around in a beaker, then holds it out to Abby. The solution practically sparkles, a mean green color that almost matches the color of slime launched by the subway ghost. “This should be all you need. Apply it with a towel or sponge and voila.” She kisses her fingers like an Italian matriarch telling you to enjoy your meal.

“And it’s safe on skin?” Abby asks skeptically.

“Yes, don’t worry about your baby soft skin, m’lady.”

“Okay,” Abby exhales. “Thanks, Holtzmann.”

As Abby crosses to the bathroom, Holtz turns back to her station, quickly cleaning up her beakers and pitchers before pulling out her sketches of the equipment that was lost in the subway. She pores over the power readings, wondering what she can do to really amp up the voltage without risking their safety. _Theirs._

“Holtz!” Abby’s call makes her jump and her heartbeat continues to pound, hoping they haven’t stumbled across a side effect of the solution already.

“What?” she asks trepidatiously.

“Do we have any more sponges? Look in my desk. Oh, and there’s a couple more towels in my locker.” She fetches the sponges, but when she walks into the hallway where the bathroom is, Abby’s nowhere to be seen. “Abby?”

“In here!” Abby calls and now Holtz hears both Erin and Abby inside, teasing each other about how far the slime has traveled. She feels a flush creep into her cheeks and she sticks a hand inside with the sponges. “Thanks, Holtzmann.”

“I’ll get the towels.” She realizes she was squeezing her eyes shut, which seems pretty silly considering there’s a door in between her and Abby and Erin.

Returning with the towels, she does the same, sticking her hand carefully inside the bathroom door, and focusing her eyes down just in case. Except this time, she doesn’t squeeze her eyes closed and she catches a glimpse of Erin’s clothes balled up on the floor of the bathroom.

Holtz stands outside the bathroom door for a second, collecting herself, before returning to her station and trying to focus on her sketches. She haphazardly pulls out tools to get to work but she can’t concentrate well enough to get started. Maybe she’s hungrier than she thought and should wait until Patty’s back with the food.

She peeks back into Abby’s locker, pulling out her overalls and a sweater. Abby’s prone to accidents and always has extra clothes on hand, but Holtz doesn’t know what to offer to Erin. Erin is the least likely of the crew to crash out at the lab and is always returning home to her apartment for a few hours sleep and a fresh change of clothes. Holtz is sure she does it to impress Kevin, but he doesn’t seem to notice when she walks by in a new skirt and heels. Opening her own locker, Holtz spots the kimono she sometimes wears when she’s working on experiments. She’d totally forgotten it was in there.

Knocking softly on the bathroom door, she asks if the solution is helping. “Yes, this is so much easier than last time,” Erin responds. “Thank you, Jillian.”

“I brought one more thing that might help.” She sticks her hand carefully around the bathroom door again, clutching the kimono and holding it high so it doesn’t drag the ground and come in contact with any leftover slime.

She hears Erin’s little sigh of surprise. “This is so thoughtful. Thank you.”

Holtz swallows down the tightness in her throat. “Sure. Abby, I have your overalls and sweater, too.”

“Thanks, dear. You can leave them outside the door.”

“Ok,” Holtz murmurs. Before she moves away from the door, she hears Erin say softly, “This is really sweet of her.”

“She’s got a good heart,” Abby replies. “A crazy head but a good heart.”

Holtz isn’t sure how long she stands there but when she turns around, Patty is coming upstairs with the food. “Did you fix everything, Holtzy?”

She ducks her head as she walks back to her station. “I hope I helped.”

“I’m sure you did. I got you a meatball sub. Now don’t get all absorbed in your work or it’ll get cold.”

Holtz glances over at her sketches before following Patty to the table. “Thanks.”

“Sure thing, baby.” Patty winks at her and Holtz feels herself flush again. It’s been an afternoon, but she couldn’t be happier.  


End file.
